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K2 40m bandpass

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Matt Osborn

K2 40m bandpass

False alarm, guys. My XG1 test oscillator arrived today, I hooked it
up and 40 meters tuned up perfectly. I must not have been using a
valid signal with my previous attempts.

I also ran through the 40m transmitter alignment and found my power
output and current draw to be a little high. It's probably not a
problem, but I thought I'd be better off asking than assuming.

Following done with TUNE selected

With power set to 5 watts:
Power output is 6.9 watts; current at 1.8 amps
(Voltage on DL1 dummy load is 16.9v)

With power set to 10 watts:
Power output is 12.2 watts; current at 2.35 amps;
(Voltage on DL1 dummy load is 12.8v)

The voltage measurements on the DL1 agree with the built in watt
meter, so I think the K2 is actually putting out the power indicated.

Should I worry about this?
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Don Wilhelm-3

RE: K2 40m bandpass

Matt,

That is not unusual using TUNE, it can be off by a couple watts. Try it
with the hand key setting for the keyer, you should find the output much
closer to the requested power that that indicated by using TUNE. If you
still have difficulty, you may want to check the RF Output detector
components (D9 and R66 thru R69) carefully. Be certain you have the correct
1N5711 diode installed at D9 and that all those components are properly
soldered - other than that, there is no cause for concern.

The current draw will depend on your power supply voltage and the options
that you have installed. The base K2 manual lists only the approximate
current draw with no options installed and something close to a 13.8 volt
power supply. The K2 attempts to maintain the requested power output no
matter what the voltage supply may be, so a lower voltage supply will result
in a higher current draw.

Bottom line is that your current draw does not look out of line for the
actual power you are developing.

73,
Don W3FPR

> -----Original Message-----
>
> With power set to 5 watts:
> Power output is 6.9 watts; current at 1.8 amps
> (Voltage on DL1 dummy load is 16.9v)
>
> With power set to 10 watts:
> Power output is 12.2 watts; current at 2.35 amps;
> (Voltage on DL1 dummy load is 12.8v)
>
> The voltage measurements on the DL1 agree with the built in watt
> meter, so I think the K2 is actually putting out the power indicated.
>
> Should I worry about this?
>

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Matt Osborn

Re: K2 40m bandpass

Thank you, Sir, for your advice. (and no, I'm not talking to your Dad)

I subscribed to this list about a month before I ordered my K2 just to
see what experiences other folks have had. I was impressed by the
quality of the posts, the willingness of others to help and most of
all, the few problems reported.

Given the sophistication of Elecraft kits, I'm amazed at how smoothly
everything went.

On Sat, 18 Jun 2005 21:11:13 -0400, "W3FPR - Don Wilhelm"
<[hidden email]> wrote:

>Matt,
>
>That is not unusual using TUNE, it can be off by a couple watts. Try it
>with the hand key setting for the keyer, you should find the output much
>closer to the requested power that that indicated by using TUNE. If you
>still have difficulty, you may want to check the RF Output detector
>components (D9 and R66 thru R69) carefully. Be certain you have the correct
>1N5711 diode installed at D9 and that all those components are properly
>soldered - other than that, there is no cause for concern.
>
>The current draw will depend on your power supply voltage and the options
>that you have installed. The base K2 manual lists only the approximate
>current draw with no options installed and something close to a 13.8 volt
>power supply. The K2 attempts to maintain the requested power output no
>matter what the voltage supply may be, so a lower voltage supply will result
>in a higher current draw.
>
>Bottom line is that your current draw does not look out of line for the
>actual power you are developing.
>
>73,
>Don W3FPR
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>>
>> With power set to 5 watts:
>> Power output is 6.9 watts; current at 1.8 amps
>> (Voltage on DL1 dummy load is 16.9v)
>>
>> With power set to 10 watts:
>> Power output is 12.2 watts; current at 2.35 amps;
>> (Voltage on DL1 dummy load is 12.8v)
>>
>> The voltage measurements on the DL1 agree with the built in watt
>> meter, so I think the K2 is actually putting out the power indicated.
>>
>> Should I worry about this?
>>

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Matt Osborn

Re: K2 40m bandpass

>(lost all my hearing in SE Asia and SSB is way
>more than a challenge)

Thank you for your service. Were you in artillery also?

My next challenge is to master CW and upgrade to general so I can use
both halves of the K2. I too, bought the K2 for the receiver, very
impressive unit.

I'll see if I can get things done by October.

On Sat, 18 Jun 2005 19:01:36 -0700, Fred Jensen <[hidden email]>
wrote:

> >(and no, I'm not talking to your Dad)
>
>Matt, I left for college 2 days before my 17th birthday, and when they
>called me "Mister Jensen," as I was registering, I was sure they had
>confused me with my Dad. I've built the K2 and then the KX1, in that
>order, and I'm now upgrading my K2 to SSB and 100W as a Plan B for CQP
>from Alpine County CA. Won't bore you with the details unless you ask.
>
>Don and Ron are the real Elecraft gurus (well besides Wayne), but there
>are a few in EU too. Actually, the problems posted on the list are
>probably the most valuable the other comments. None of us build from
>scratch anymore (I started in 1953 at 13), but I'm about to ditch my
>TS-850 for the enhanced K2 solely because of the receiver.
>
>Hope this all goes well for you. Look for us in the CQP (1st weekend in
>Oct) from N6A -- Alpine County CA, pop 1,600 with no one licensed. I'll
>be one of the CW ops, (lost all my hearing in SE Asia and SSB is way
>more than a challenge). We'll be at 9,000' at Monitor Pass handing out Q's.
>
>73,
>
>Fred K6DGW
>Auburn CA CM98lw
>
>Matt Osborn wrote:
>> Thank you, Sir, for your advice. (and no, I'm not talking to your Dad)
>>
>> I subscribed to this list about a month before I ordered my K2 just to
>> see what experiences other folks have had. I was impressed by the
>> quality of the posts, the willingness of others to help and most of
>> all, the few problems reported.
>>
>> Given the sophistication of Elecraft kits, I'm amazed at how smoothly
>> everything went.
>>
>> On Sat, 18 Jun 2005 21:11:13 -0400, "W3FPR - Don Wilhelm"
>> <[hidden email]> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Matt,
>>>
>>>That is not unusual using TUNE, it can be off by a couple watts. Try it
>>>with the hand key setting for the keyer, you should find the output much
>>>closer to the requested power that that indicated by using TUNE. If you
>>>still have difficulty, you may want to check the RF Output detector
>>>components (D9 and R66 thru R69) carefully. Be certain you have the correct
>>>1N5711 diode installed at D9 and that all those components are properly
>>>soldered - other than that, there is no cause for concern.
>>>
>>>The current draw will depend on your power supply voltage and the options
>>>that you have installed. The base K2 manual lists only the approximate
>>>current draw with no options installed and something close to a 13.8 volt
>>>power supply. The K2 attempts to maintain the requested power output no
>>>matter what the voltage supply may be, so a lower voltage supply will result
>>>in a higher current draw.
>>>
>>>Bottom line is that your current draw does not look out of line for the
>>>actual power you are developing.
>>>
>>>73,
>>>Don W3FPR
>>>
>>>
>>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>>
>>>>With power set to 5 watts:
>>>>Power output is 6.9 watts; current at 1.8 amps
>>>>(Voltage on DL1 dummy load is 16.9v)
>>>>
>>>>With power set to 10 watts:
>>>>Power output is 12.2 watts; current at 2.35 amps;
>>>>(Voltage on DL1 dummy load is 12.8v)
>>>>
>>>>The voltage measurements on the DL1 agree with the built in watt
>>>>meter, so I think the K2 is actually putting out the power indicated.
>>>>
>>>>Should I worry about this?
>>>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Elecraft mailing list
>> Post to: [hidden email]
>> You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
>> Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
>> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>>
>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
>> Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
>>
>>
>>
>